Coping with ADD – mindforhealthresourcesltd

Dr. Ben Allen's Practical Strategies

Executive functioning challenges & disorders of attention & impulsive behavior

Dr. Ben Allen helps children and adults with executive functioning challenges, and often that may include attention deficit with inattention, impulsivity, and other symptoms. Here are some strategies Dr. Allen offers to help individuals optimize their executive functioning, social-emotional abilities, and academic and professional skills.

Education/ Self-Awareness: Help client learn about executive functioning, types of such challenges, client-specific challenges as well as cognitive and personal strengths, self-help skills for improving executive functioning in academics, at work, and in daily life.

Executive Functioning Skills: Identify the issues and problem areas of executive functioning, and where they tend to arise (i.e., school, work, daily tasks). Create a treatment plan to address those issues specifically, apply practical approaches to improve and/or compensate to help learn and accomplish the task.

Cognitive/ Academic Skills Coaching: Learn how to learn, structure, and stay current in an academic program. Learn skills to address every task involved in each class, every skill needed, be aware of bad habits and weaknesses, learn how to compensate and learn the material, learn how to obtain resources, and self-advocate by seeking help when needed.

Motivation/ Self-Efficacy: Finding ways to make learning fun, take responsibility, set goals, create a reward system, plan out a semester, create a system of accountability, learn how to learn, and build self confidence.

Biofeedback/ Self-Awareness/ Self-Regulation: Training for stress management and anxiety reduction, correction and release of unnecessary muscle and physical tension, impulse control and delay of gratification, better attention, and feelings of relaxed contentment.

Lifestyle Awareness and Wellness Plan: To optimize brain functioning. Work to support a healthy diet, good sleep patterns, outdoor activity and sunlight, exercise, good breathing habits, good attitude and positive spirit.

Impulse Control Strategies: Learn additional skills to enhance self-control and self-restraint when needed. Learn how to self-regulate form the top down, through intention and strategies that draw our greatest cognitive resources.

Individual Psychotherapy and Family Therapy: Talk therapy to address and work through difficult issues and challenges in a client’s life, teach problem-solving, and family counseling to support behaviors at home and school, and to help unify the family and support the client.

Social Skills Coaching: Build social rapport skills, learn ways to connect, be helpful and other-centered, stand and move with poise and confidence, use helpful proactive self-talk.

Kung Fu Room Basic Skills: Learn how to build better coordination, strength, power, physical and mental confidence, inner balance and awareness. Kung Fu room with basic exercise support equipment. Learn how to optimize correct posture & exercise.

Guide for Improvement of Attention Skills

Skills frequently present in individuals with attention deficit:

Ability to hyperfocus (ability to concentrate with complete and satisfying absorption on interesting tasks)
Creativity (emersion in lower frequency brainwaves and creative imagination)
Sense of humor (related to increased creativity)
Lots of energy and lack of inhibition (freedom to create interesting goals and passion for achieving)
Fun People: Enthusiasm for life, spontanaity, flexibility, adaptability, deep yearning for stimulation, and purposeful structure
Enhanced sensitivity and intuition
Greater cognitive functioning and focused when engaged in outdoor activity

10 Steps for improving attention and concentration

Learn how to manage stress and moods

Stop the escalation of a negative mental state
Master your self (life skills)
Learn how to lower anxiety and create positive energy
Paced healthy breathing can anchor you toward better attention

Delay of gratification

Learn how to delay rewards until the completion of subtasks
What motivates you? Intrinsic motivation transferred to the classroom
Thrive on pressure – create the illusion of pressure to make school interesting

Transfer of training

What skills do you have outside of the classroom? Take those skills and apply them to note taking, paying attention and setting and achieving goals

Improve your productivity

Improve diet and get good sleep
Always be prepared for class
Study effectively
Get help and tutoring when needed
Read the syllabuses, organize the work schedule for each class, and stay current
Make it your top priority to stay organized
Manage distractions, create a good workspace, set goals and subgoals
Pace yourself, reward your big accomplishments, celebrate small successes

Improve your memory

Learn how to improve your memory, buy a memory book, and practice!
Overcome absent-mindedness (make this your intent)

Set your intention to have good attention in class

Remember “WHY” you want this
Keep reminders with you as to your purpose in self-improvement
State this purpose to yourself as you fall asleep at night and upon waking – think of it often
Stay motivated by focusing continuously on your goal to improve academic success

Learn how to learn

Never accept mental limitations, and learn how to deal with self-limiting thoughts
Seek to learn how to be a good student. You can improve your skills and make your brain more effective and intelligent
State positive affirmations to yourself, and begin each task with “Why you want the goal.”

Overcome procrastination

Set your priorities. You will enjoy your free time immensely if you stay productive and accomplish your tasks effectively, early rather than late. There is no freedom without responsibility
Do it now! Use these words to summons your motivation. Create an image with these words of taking charge of your tasks

Use attention support strategies

Take careful notes in class to anchor your attention and pay attention
Doodling or a light task that keeps your hands busy and helps overcome boredom is positive if it keeps you focused and attentive to the teacher’s ideas and tasks
Pace yourself with breathing, take mini breaks but continue to stay on task
Use these words when you lose focus (“Stop, look, listen”)

Be prepared to use your strategies when you walk into the classroom

State your mission to improve academic skills and to pay attention in class
Sit up straight, act purposeful, and set your intent to focus
Organize your work desk, get your notes in order, and prepare your tools (pens, calculator, etc.)
Ask yourself, “What is the topic or lesson of today that we are learning in class”
State you’re positive affirmations to yourself

Really powerful methods for learning

Take good notes. Write down every idea the teacher discusses. Learn a note-taking strategy that works for you
When the teacher completes an idea, really ponder on it so you grasp the overall concept – the “Aha, ” “I get it”
Take your notes after class and walk with them. Think about each idea until you grasp the overall meaning.
Compare it to other concepts you already know. Teach it to others. Work with friends or a study group. Teaching and talking about a subject increases learning of that material significantly.
Recognize your energy level throughout the day. Watch what you eat. Get a nap if possible or meditate
Use flashcards to display each concept. Practice frequently reviewing the cards to increase your understanding
Always go the extra mile – push yourself toward excellence in learning
Learn how to spell like a pro. Read the dictionary, and use self-correcting methods frequently. Always seek to improve your writing skills. Hold yourself to a high standard.
Think of the big picture – your future success, college, the ability to communicate and learn. Learning and communication are lifelong. Increase your future success by building a better brain for learning.

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Dr. Ben Allen's Practical Strategies

Executive functioning challenges & disorders of attention & impulsive behavior

10 Steps for improving attention and concentration